Price tag



May 3, E938. Kol-:NLE 2,115,476

PRICE TAG original Filed ook. zo, 195A, 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR )fo/My- A ATTORNEYS F. KOHNLE 'May 3, i938.

PRICE TAG 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 20,

INVENTOR WM )LW/7d ATTORNEYS Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PRICE TAG Frederick Kohnle, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Marking System Company, Dayton, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application October 20, 1934,`Serial No. 749,207

Renewed October 5, 1937 2 claims.

The invention relates to an improved price .tag for use in marking textile or fabric merchandise, and to the method of applying the tag.

It has been experienced that the ordinary commercial pin provides a most eicient and satisfactory means for attaching a tag torfabric merchandise. The commercial pin, possessing an eX- tremely ne and smooth point, can be engaged through the most delicate, sheer material without injury to the fibers. This is extremely important in tagging some classes of `fabric .mechandisa such as silk hosiery, for any tearing or pulling of the fibers in applying or removing the tag is apt to cause a runner.

Heretofore, in the use of the conventional or commercial pins for attaching price tags in connection with machine marking, the pin, after being passed through the tag and merchandise for appropriately pinning the tag to the merchandise, has the point end of the pin sheathed either within or below a face side of the tag. In applying the pin, either the pin or a portion of the tag through which the pin passes, or both, are bowed, deflected, kinked or deviated from lineal straightness so that the pin to hold or direct its course encounters a guide or die which may distort the pin point. The pin point, upon striking an obstruction is easily bent to one side, forming a hook which can catch and pull out the libres of the. merchandise in withdrawing the pin to remove the tag, causing injury to the weave. p In` the present method the pin is pushed or driven through the tag and merchandise perpendicular to the plane thereof so that neither the price tag nor pin are bowed or deflected from lineal straightness, and the projected end of the pin is clinched or bent to secure the tag and to appropriately sheath the point.

An object of the invention is to provide a tag, foldable over a margin or edge of ,thev fabric merchandise to be marked, to present leaf-like portions on opposite sides thereof, and to fasten the tag to the merchandise by a straight commercial pin engaged through the tag and merchandise by a single pass perpendicular to the plane thereof, so that only the head of the pin is exposed on the face side of the tag, and bend or clinch the projecting or emerging end ofthe pin to confine the same and sheath its point.

Another object of the invention is to bend the pin after it has been passed through the tagand merchandise, over an edge of the tag, to sheath its point beneath the under side of the tag or between ply layers thereof. l

`Another object `of the invention is; to slitor notch the tag to receive the bent-over portion of the pin for holding the same against displacement.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in a de- 5 scription of the accompanying drawings, in

which: `Figure 1 is a plan View of the tagas applied to a piece of fabric merchandise, the tag being folded over a margin or edge of the merchandise. l

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure 1 of a modified form of tag, having a tear-olf section.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 3.

i Figure 5 is a plan view similar to Figure 1 of another modied form of tag.

Figure 6 is a section on line S-, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 2 disclosing a bending tool for bending the pin to bring its pointend between the under side of the lower leaf of the tag and merchandise.

`Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure l showing another modification of tag having a notch cut into one edge for receiving the bent-over portion of the pin to hold the same against displacement.

Figure 9` is a plan view illustrating the mechanical means for bending the pin and turning the same over an edge of the tag.

Figure l0 is a section on line lli-i0, Figure 9. 30

Figure 1l is a View similar to Figure 9 showing a subsequent step in the method of applying the pin. Figure 12 is a section on line i2-l2, Figure 11.

Figure 13is a 'top plan view of the swinging 35 handle employed for bendingthe pin at an angle, or in a plane with the tag.

Figure 14 is a section on line M-UL Figure 11. Figure 15 is a View similar to Figure 11, illus` trating the subsequent step in the operation of applying and bending the pin.

Figure 16 is a section on line l6-lG, Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a plan View of the pin bending handle and plunger tool in its final operating position.

Referring to the drawings, in Figures l and 2 the tag isof a `type for folding or clasping over an edge or margin of the fabric merchandise, and constitutes a pair of sections or leaves respectively engaging opposite sides of the merchandise.

The tag strip preferably is notched inwardly from its opposite longitudinal edges along a division or fold line forming theleaves or sections, facilitating inthe folding of the tag. The outer leaf provides aface side upon which the pricemarking data is printed. The tag is secured to the merchandise by a commercial straight pin 2 passed perpendicularly through the tag leaves and merchandise, preferably at a point centrally of the tag and toward the forward edges of the leaves with the head of the pin engaging against the face side of the outer leaf. The pin, therefore, only makes one pass through the tag leaves and merchandise, and passes through in a straight line perpendicular to the plane of the tag and merchandise, requiring no bowing of the tag and fabric nor deection of the pin as practiced in the now prevailing methods.

There is no occasion to mutlate or bend the point of the pin in its application as is likely to occur when it encounters any metallic guiding surface to direct its course, or when its method of application requires several passes through the tag. The point of the pin, being very fine and delicate, is easily distorted, and a bent point acts as a burr or hook to catch and pull out a fiber of the fabric to the injury of the weave, in the withdrawal of a pin for the removal of the tag.

The end of the pin projecting from the under leaf or section of the tag, to secure the parts together, is bent to an angle in plane with the tag, and according to the present method is bent or looped about the forward edge of the lower tag leaf to bring or extend the point end of the pin inwardly adjacent the under side of the lower tag leaf, sheathing or guarding the point.

As shown in Figure 8, the forward edge of the lower or under leaf of the tag has a notch 4 cut therein for receiving the reverse bend portion of the pin, locking the same against rotative displacement. In Figures 3 and 4 the tag is provided with a tear-off section or stub 5 extending from the forward end of the outer leaf, and in Figures 5 and 6 the tag is formed with a plurality of folds or sections to provide double ply leaves when applied to reinforce the tag, and the under leaf adapts the point end of the pin to be engaged or projected between the plies or folds. The pin, with such form of tag, is double guarded both from the outer face of the under leaf, and from the fabric.

'Ihe method of applying and bending the pin to secure the parts together being the same in all instances, the various modifications are illustrated to disclose various types of tags, and in the form shown in Figures 5 and 6 a very thin paper material can be employed and the lap or fold sections serving primarily for reinforcing the tag portions to which the pin is engaged and for additionally guarding the pin point.

The folds may be either pre-formed or produced in the process of application, and the plural plies may be adhesively united with separation allowances provided for inserting the point end of the pin between the plies, and it is also comprehended that the point could be projected into the body of the tag for sheathing the point, if its thickness will permit.

Owing to the extensive and constantly increasing use of tag marking and tag attaching machines for price-marking fabric merchandise, efforts to improve the tag structure, the means and modeof application, will be directed primarily more toward their feasibility for machine service rather than for any adaptability to hand service.

This somewhat follows the present invention in the methods for confining the pin after it has been passed through the tag and merchandise to secure the parts and sheath the point by bending the pin around an edge of the tag to project the point end inwardly at an underside of the tag. Performance by machine will be more commodius and efficient, and with more neatness and dispatch.

In Figures 9 to 1'7 inclusive mechanical means are disclosed for applying the pin and bending its projected end for securing the tag and merchandise together and sheathing the point, apprehending that the application of the tag by machine is essential to the use of the tag when large quantities of merchandise must be pricemarked.

Therefore, and to further exemplify, the present invention, apparatus of an attaching machine selected for illustration, comprises a table 6 as a support for the tag and merchandise. The table is preferably engaged between the lower leaf of the tag and underside of the merchandise, and its forward end centrally thereof has a slot 1 extending inwardly through which the pin traverses as it is driven or passed through the tag and merchandise.

A bending finger 8 is pivotally mounted within the top end of a tubular support 9, and as shown in Figure 10 provides a longitudinal face edge lying parallel with the pin in the normal position of the finger. The pin lies between a pair of spaced lugs l0 extending from the forward longitudinal face edge of the finger to guard the pin against displacement when the finger is moved or swung from its vertical position to a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 12, for bending the projected portion of the pin at an angle and in the approximate plane with the lower leaf of the tag.

One of the said lugs also serves as a block or die about which the pin is bent by a reciprocating pusher bar il. The pusher bar in a forward stroke engages the pin and bends the same in a return direction inwardly about the forward edge of the under leaf of the tag to direct the point inwardly at the under side of the lower leaf for sheathing the point.

The finger, as shown in Figures 9, 11 and 15, is positioned to bend or clinch the pin in a line askewed to the direction of motion of the pusher bar l I, and thereby adapt the pusher bar to bend the projected point end of the pin rearwardly about the lug I0 of the nger, as shown in Figure 15.

As shown in the cross section Figure 14, the table 6 at one edge is provided with a depending fiange or lip i3 which serves to deect a portion of the tag sufliciently to allow the pin to be bent over the edge of the tag and rearwardly by a pusher bar over the underface of the lower leaf of the tag for sheathing the point. The point thus is housed between the lower leaf or section of the tag and merchandise, or as is shown in Figure 6 where the leaves are of double-ply formation, the point end of the pin is projected rearwardly between the plies of the lower leaf section.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Ihe method of pinning a tag to a piece of merchandise, the tag clasped about a margin of the merchandise, which consists in passing a pin through the clamping portions of the tag and merchandise, bending the protruded shank portion of the pin to extend parallel to the plane of the tag toward an end thereof, and then bending the same reversely to extend parallel to the plane of the tag and between one of the clamping portions and piece of merchandise with the point of the pin sheathed.

2. In combination with a piece of merchandise, a price tag constituting a strip of material folded over a margin of the' piece of merchandise to clasp the merchandise therebetween, and a pin passed through the clamping portions of the tag t and merchandise, the portion of the pin emerging from one side thereof bent to extend parallel to the plane of the tag toward one end thereof and thence reversely bent to extend parallel to the plane of the tag and between one of the clamping portions and piece of merchandise for sheathing the point of the pin.

FREDERICK KOHNLE. 

